An Appleton church is ending its affiliation with a Boy Scout troop after the organization decided last summer to allow openly gay troop leaders. Pastor Dan Thews of Faith Lutheran Church said it wasn’t an easy decision.
“For us, when the Boy Scouts changed their understanding of who can lead the Scouts, and when they allowed for openly and practicing gay leaders to lead the troops and to mold and shape the young boys and men that they’re working with, we just had to do something, because that’s contrary to our understanding of what God teaches in the Bible,” Thews said.
Faith Lutheran Church, a Missouri Synod congregation, has held the charter for Boy Scout Troop 73 for over 60 years. Thews says the children of many church members participate in the Boy Scouts, and they’ll have to evaluate whether it’s an organization that they still want to associate with.
“We love Scouts, and we’re brokenhearted that they’ve changed their policy and moved away from where we stand,” said Thews.
WHBY